Gas-generator.



' No. 796,279. PATENTED AUG. 1, 1905.

A El I 'eAs GENERATOR.

Arjuna-Ion 21mm JULY-13'. 19M.

ANDREW, a. alumna 00.. mwumoouwiu. msmumw. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT oF IoE.

EDWARD H. AMET, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

GAS-GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

Application filed July 13, 1904. Serial-No. 216,349.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

combustion of hydrocarbon is utilized for converting the latter into combustible gas.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a device whereby a liquid hydrocarbon may be gasified and vaporized by means of a primary subdued combustion, the gases and vapors'evolved by such combustion being immediately drawn off and extinguished and thereafter transferred to the point of consumption; to provide a construction wherein the gases and vapors evolved by a subdued combustion are automatically drawn into a draft-tube in such manner as to extinguish the further combustion of the gases and vapors and permit the same to be transferred to another point of consumption; to provide a simple and inexpensive device which is capable of adjustment to regulate the rateofprimary combustion and therewith the rate of generation; to provide a construction which is capable of being readily assembled and taken apart;

to provide a construction and arrangement of a parts which is devoid of small ducts, screens,

and the like through which the products of combustion must pass, thereby reducing the fouling of the apparatus by deposits of soot and the like to a minimum or entirely obviating the same, and in general to provide a simple and practical burner of the character referred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical axial sectional view of a simple embodiment of the invention. Fig.

2 is a-transverse sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and looking downwardly, and Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on line 3' 8 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out my invention I provide a draft tube or passage having a series of inlets,

and adjacent to these inlets exteriorly of the tube or draft passage I provide suitable means for effecting a subdued combustion of liquid hydrocarbon, such as petroleum. The burning of this fuel under conditions so controlled as to effect a subdued combustion evolves relatively large quantities of gas and combustible vapor, and I so construct and arrange the apparatus that the gases and vapors thus evolved or generated are immediately drawn through the' inlet-passages into the draft tube or passage, thereby extinguishing the combustion at this point and permitting the combustible gases and vapors to be carried away to any desired point of consumption. In a broader sense, the particular means for delivering a controlled or regulated supply of fuel to the point of primary combustion adjacent to the series of inlet ducts or passages are not essential, as I may employ a wick or o1l-ducts.

Obviously also the source of oil-supply may be local, as in the case of a wick communicating with a font, or the source may be extraneous, as from a reservoir connected by suitable pipes or ducts. With this explanation in mind a description of one simple, practical, and preferred embodiment of the invention is set forth herein, the particular device constituting a burner which may be utilized for generating heat.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designatesas a whole a suitable font or receptacle adapted to contain a supply of hydrocarbon and within which the lower portion of awick 3 may be submerged. In the present embodiment the font is shown as provided with a slip-cover .4, the central portion of which has a'tubular or cylindric upstanding extension 5, within whichthe tubular wick 3 fits snugly.

6 designates as a whole a tube which is of suitable diameter to fit snugly within the tubular wick and conveniently is utilized to hold thewiok frictionally in adjusted position within the extension 5. The lower portion of the tube 6 conveniently extends to a point near the bottom of the font and is there held centered by means of'a boss 7 over which it telescopes, while its upper portion rises a considerable distance above the upper end of the tubular extension 5 and forms a draft-tube por tion 8, as will hereinafter be described. Preferably, although not necessarily, the tube 6 is made of uniform diameter throughout its length. At a point approximately coincident with the upper end of the tubular extension 5 the tube is provided with a circumferential series of inlet-apertures 9, and just above this series of inlets is mounted upon the tube 6 a deflector l0, conveniently of petticoat form. The deflector 10 comprises a collar portion 11, provided with any one or more vertical slots 12 in its upper edge and frictionally engaging the exterior of the tube, a downwardly-flaring or conical portion 13, and a cylindric lower rim portion 14. The internal diameter of the rim portion 14 is made somewhat greater than the external diameter of the tubular extension 5, so as to form, in conjunction with the latter, an annular air-inlet passage 15, leading to the space immediately above the upper end of the wick outside of the tube 6, but inside of said deflector. The wick is in practice adjusted so that its upper end terminates coincident with the inlets 9, the drafttube being adjusted up or dawn relatively to the end of the wick, so that the latter forms, in eflect, a closure for partially closing said inlets. By this means the indrar't through said inlets 9 may be regulated. The deflector 10 is likewise capable of vertical adjustment upon the tube 6, so as to bring its conical portion 10 nearer to or farther from the end of the wick or the tubular standard 5, and thus regulate the amount of air admitted to the space within the deflector.

The parts thus far described constitute a complete generator for carrying out the primary object of the inVentiOn nameIy, the conversion of hydrocarbon fuel into combustible gas and vapors by the direct action of a subdued combustion. The apparatus shown herein is, however, provided at its upper end with a burner, whereby the gas generated by the initial combustion may be completely burned for the purpose of producing heat. To this end the draft-tube portion 8 is made imperforate from the inlet-ducts 9 upwardly to a point near its upper end, where the final and main combustion takes place. Adjacent to its upper end said draft-tube is provided with a plurality of air-inlet openings 16, which are adjustably controlled by means of a damper-sleeve 17, mounted upon the draft-tube and capable of being rotatably shifted thereon, said damper-sleeve being provided with a series of openings18, corresponding to those of the mixing-tube and adapted to be brought into and out of register with the latter. The upper end of the tube is desirably left entirely open or unobstructed, it being found in practice that it thus forms an eflflcient burner, especially when provided with the air-inlets 16.

The operation of the apparatus is probably entirely obvious from the foregoing descrip tion. It may be stated, however, that the wick isignited within and beneath the deflector 10 and that the flame and with the flame the erly adjusted, the combustion which takes place within the deflector forms a blue flame of intense heat; but, owing to the fact that the size of the inlet-ducts 9 is restricted and the admission of air to the space above the wick and within the deflector is limited, the com bustion is not communicated to the interior of the tube, the gases and vapors passing upwardly through the draft-tube from their point of entrance thereto without burning. In other words, the small jets of flame which enter the several inlet-ducts 9 are immediately extinguished or smothered out by the lack oi oxygen within the draft-tube, with the result that the greater proportion of the vapors and gases liberated by this primary combustion pass into and upwardly through the draft-tube to the point of main combustion. At the point of main combustion the burner is regulated by means of the dam wr-sleeve 17 in an obvious manner. The rate at which the gas is generated may be controlled or regulated within a wide range by adjusting the inletopenings 9 relatively to the wick, so as to open or close said inlets more or less and by adjusting the deflector 10 up or down to admit the proper amount oi air to correspond to the rate of combustion desired. The wick may be raised slightly from time to time as its upper end is consumed in any of the usual ways; but in the present instance I have shown the tubular extension 5 as slotted at 19, so that a suitable pick may be inserted to lift the wick.

While I have herein shown a practical and eflicient embodiment of the invention, yet it will be understood that this construction is in a sense merely illustrative and that the invention may be otherwise embodied.

I claim as my invention 1 A gas and vapor generator comprising a draft-tube provided with a series 01 restricted inlet-openings and having an extended imperforate portion reaching from said inlets upwardly, a surrounding wick located immediately adjacent to said inlet-openings of the draft-tube externally of the latter and having its upper end portion freely exposed to the surrounding atmosphere, means inducing the inflow of all the products of combustion from said wick through the inlet-openings to the draft-tube and means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to said wick.

2,. In a gas and vapor generator, the combination of an upright draft-tube provided with one or more circumferentially-extending inlets of restricted size, and having an extended im perforate portion reaching from said inlets upwardly, said draft-tube being closed as to the admission of oxygen below said inlets, a wick arranged concentrically with-said tube having its upper end terminating approximately coincident with said inlet or inlets and the end portion of said wick freely exposed to the surrounding atmosphere, means efl'eeting an indraft of all the products of combustion from said wick through said inlets, and means for su pplying liquid hydrocarbon to said wick.

3. In a gas and vapor generator, the combination of an upright draft-tube provided with one or more circumferentially-extending inlets of restricted vsize, and having an extended imperforate portion reaching from said inlets upwardly, said draft-tube being closed as to the admission of oxygen below said inlets, awiok arranged concentrically withsaid tube havingitsupperend terminatingapproximately coincident with said inlet or inlets and the end portion of said wick freely exposed to the surrounding atmosphere, means for supplying oil to said wick and means effecting an indraft of all the products of combustion from said wick through said inlets, comprising a housing surrounding but spaced away from the upper end of said wick and forming a means of con trolling and limiting the admission of air tothe latter.

4:. In a gas and vapor generator, the combination of an upright draft-tube provided with a circumferentiallydisposed series of perforations constituting inlets and having an extended imperforate portion reaching from said inlets upwardly, an annular wick encircling the tube below and terminating at its upper end substantially coincident with said inlets, the end portion of said wick being freely exposed to the surrounding atmosphere when in operative position, a source of oilsupply with which said wick communicates, and means efiecting the drawing in of all prod ucts of combustion from the wick through said inlets, comprising an annular deflector surrounding but spaced away from the upper end of the wick and forming in conjunction with the latter a restricted annular inlet communicating with the chamber formed within said deflector. i

5. In a gas and vapor generator, the combination of an upright draft-tube provided with a circumferentially-disposed row of inlet-openings intermediate its length, an imperforate portion extending from said series of inlets upwardly to a point near the upper end of the tube, a plurality of air-inlet openings located adjacent to the upper end of the tube, an annular wick encircling the tube belowand terminating at its upper end, coinci' dent with, said row of inlet-openings, a font within which the lower end of the draft-tube extends, provided with a tubular wick-support embracing the exterior of the upper end portion of the wick, and abell-shaped deflector adjustably supported upon said draft-tube and surrounding, but spaced away from the upper end of the wick.

EDWARD H. AMET.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES, FREDERICK O. GOODWIN. 

